Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-10
.Ah. that was hard" sympatheti.

at the jacket with crimson checks.
Twill you tell me aboHt it," asked
John Rogers. very kindly, his honest
gray ewes softening. ut does one good
sometimes 10 fell ones troubles, and
an. 50 much older than YOU"
Clarice looked up. quite gratified at
this unexpected sympathy
4 will tell you. Mr.. Rogers. 1t was
when was in Philadelphia that met
Harris-Harris Bell--and | was-so
different there, at the parties | went
with Fannie. that he thought | was
pretty, and told me so. and said that he
loved me, and wanted Inc ia be his
wife. i had pretty white dress, YOU
know" timidlN and glnncing blushing
ly down at her present faded calico.
land wore flowers and-yoh can
scarcely understand it,"
YES, l can understand it,n said
John, noting the light in the brown
eyes and the newiy-acquired color.
"rell me the rest, Clarice.h
And we were engaged-and l could
scarcely believe it-but | was very hap
Ply. He was such u handsome gentle
man, too, and SO aristocratft, and did
not mind the boarders. or anything,
when thought about Harris. So at
last he came here to see me; and he
saw mamma aud the children, the house
and the boarders, and | can't tell YOU
how it was, but he was different He
didn't tell me he was changed, but he
was restless, and 1t worried him, and 1
saw he cared. am proud. Mr. Rogers,
though we are poor now, and l broke
It all up. 1t wasn't the love / had
dreamed Of. I had read great many
novels, and l thought life was fairy
tale and love was beautiful. ALWAYS
used to think, When some one comes
to love me I'll never DO sad or vexed
any more; and Harris seemed to me
all had wished for until saw the
house and the boarders fretted, him.
For had dreamed of u love that would
be out OF the common, and that when |
went away with my lover / thought /,
too, would be better, just MS he wished
me to be. So told him. Mr.. Rogers.
it was all over, and he said perhaps we
were not fitted to make each other hap
py. And then he went away. and the
work and the noise and the boarders
fretted me as they never had before.
For somehow, although I could not love
him as much for treating me so, the
thoughts about him and the dreams
about him were all gonc-and | missed
them so"
poor child" said John, tendcrly.
but It's my own fault. Mr. Rogers
i expected too much. There is no such
love as | have dreamed about and
mother says did very wrong to break
it off She was very angry with me;
but knew these things would always
fret him. and could not bear il.
"Clarice. would it help you any to
know that |. TOO, have suffered as you
have suffered?" asked John, for two
shining tears had dropped on the BOYS
jacket Il, too. dreamed of love, and
found woman whom | believed had
given me that love; but because her
parents found in me only plain. poor
man, no longer young she gave ME up.
She gave up faith, and trust. and hope
because she had not that real love which
you describe"
He stopped speaking. He had for
gotten the little girl in her calico gown,
and was gazing abstractedly out of the
window, hard lines of regret and pas
sionate despair written on his face
Suddenly he ?tlt little, warm. soft
hand laid gently on his, and Clarice
said:
Mr. Rogers. am so sorry"
lie wrung the little working hand.
and then he rose aud went to his room
and gave way 10 his new sorrow.
ClafiCc tol',ed her sewing and put it
away; but it tomtoried her as she went
about her evening duties that Mr.
Rogers had listened to her story. and 10
know that he, too, had missed the love
he dreamed Of
CHAPTER H.
Several months had passed away.
John Rogers had often found his way
into the shabby little parlor and chat
ted with Clarice Once he had found
bunch of flowers on his bureau. and no
room in the house was such a model of
order.
One day rs he sauntered into the par
Tor toward dusk. hoping that his little
friend would come there with her basket
and mending and sit awhile, he heard
the rustic OF feminine garments, and
looking up. saw that his landlady stood
before him. Mrs. Dean was woman
who prided herself on her former digni-
ty. She wore very long and dusty
alpaca. II being no longer within her
limits to trail silk. she trailed alpaca.
Some persons are of this mold. Her
hands, which she folded majestcally.
were very grimy Rogers remembered
with pleasure that Clarice was always
neat
Mr.. Rogers" began the lady with
unusual dignity, pray be seated.
have noticed for some time past that
you have frequently of evenings found
your way into my parlor and passed the
time in conversation with my daughter
Clarice. | should not speak of this
circumstance had not events which have
already come to pass taught me to be
guarded. Clarice is no longer child,
she is woman, with all woman's readi-
ness to love pathetically. You. though
not young man, are bachelor, and |
ask you. as mother, to spare my
daughters feelings. As said before. /
should not have spoken of this had NOT
a circumstance which transpired this
morning. led me to believe it was my
duty, my most urgent duty. Ny daugh
ter is in the habit Of assisting with the
homework, in cleaning and putting in
order the rooms of my gentlemen board
ers. This morning entered your room
expecting to find Clarice busting dust
ing with all the light-heartedness in.
spired by well-fulfilled duty" contin-
ued Mrs. Dean, waxing eloquent. I'm
aglne my CONSERVATION when l found
her kneeling by the bedside. her face
pressed against the pillows, in tears.
She sprang up and tried to hide her
agitation, but-Mr. Rogers. l am u
widow with eight children and large
household of boarders. / cannot have
you trile with the feeling Of my daugh
ter. If you are in earnest you must de.
sist-" And the lady applied hand
kerchief to her eyes.
1t is said by some people that poverty
is degrading. 1t had certainly proved
so with Mrs. Dean.
Madam" said John Rogers, with
dignity, rising and laying his hand on
the chair, "if had not already learned
to love your daughter this tale might
work upon my sympathies and appeal
to my honor, but it could never make
words of love pass from my lips that my
heart could not echo. cannot applaud
your course in revealing your daughters
emotion, and which she would no doubt
bitterly regret. love Clarice; she stole
into my heart when il was sOr,. and